The effects of pentoxifylline and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on red blood cell deformability during cold blood perfusion were studied by means of a filtration method. The deformability of normal red blood cells decreased with the temperature transition from 20Â° to 15Â°C (transit time: 3.5, 5.8, 25, and 99 seconds at 37Â°, 20Â°, 15Â°, and 10Â°C respectively). The effects of both pentoxifylline and PGE1 were not noticeable at 37Â°C but became significant with hypothermia (5.0, 12, and 48 seconds at 20Â°, 15Â°, and 10Â°C, respectively, in samples with pentoxifylline of 0.3 mg/ml; 5.3, 13, and 46 seconds at 20Â°, 15Â°, and 10Â°C, respectively, in those with PGE1 of 40 ng/ml). The results in this study suggest that pretreatment of blood by pentoxifylline or PGE1 could improve coronary microcirculation perfused with cold blood cardioplegic solutions owing to significant improvement of the deformability of red blood cells.

ACCESSION #

16359688

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